My pursuit of trail running options in the Eastern Bays brought me to Dingle Dell Reserve…read more With a number of entrances around St Heliers (including from Fern Glen Road, The Parade, and Dingle Road), the Reserve is an ideal spot to get some trail loops in without straying too far from Tamaki Drive. The trail network isn't huge, but large enough to keep one entertained for a good half hour of running. The hills aren't super steep either - a perfect balance of undulating pathways and gradual inclines with forgiving gravel groundwork (but without mud!). Dingle Dell is dog friendly, too, including an off-leash area :)

So glad to have discovered this local reserve so close to my flat!…read more Kepa Bush reserve is tucked away behind Eastridge Shopping Centre, with some nice views across the Purewa creek and through to Hobson Bay. The reserve is home to some well-marked gravel trails as well as a number of rugged, muddy ones that travel along the creek (thus something to satisfy everyone ;)). There are entry points along Kepa road, Thatcher Street and Colenso Place as well. Sadly, the reserve does not connect to the trails around Orakei basin (due to the waterways) so you'll either be doing a few loops to get a solid run in or it's best to exit at Colenso Place and run along Kepa through the the basin for a longer adventure. A bit of history for all those curious fellows out there: Kepa Bush reserve covers 14 hectares and was established in 1962 when the Auckland City Council purchased it from St John's College. You're welcome.

We live across the road from this reserve, never thought it would turn out to be such a beautiful…read moreshort walk right at my doorstep! It feels like you're in the middle of a forest far away from the city until you hear a train pass and realise you're surrounded by the rat race of busyness . There's an outlook point and seating area where you can just enjoy the view or take time out to reflect. Worth taking a walk here after a hard day's work.

Probably the most aptly named road you'll find, Pigeon Mountain Rd leads to indeed, Pigeon Mountain…read moreWetlands. Named after the Pigeons that used to live here, this dormant volcano is now home to cute pukekos, stilts and swampland. There's plenty of board walks, gravel roads and shrubbery to guide yourself through. I took my dog along (they have to stay on the leash) and she found the wire netting on the board walk extremely weird. She kept dancing on it like it was hot coals! Incredibly funny. Then the pukeko's arrived to size her up, and she was ready to flee. They were far more afraid of her than she was of them though, as they quickly leapt off the board walk and into the flax! Anyway, it's a pleasant, short walk for those inclined to take adventures around East Auckland.

I always thought Pigeon Mountain was a euphamism for a really big pile of pigeon poo. So you can…read moreimagine what I thought Pigeon Mountain Wetland was. These misunderstandings aside, I love walking here these days I bring my dog and she has a great time being alternately brave and fearful of the pukekos. I adore getting so close up to pukeko, they're such little weirdos, but really cute. This is a nice place to bring out-of-towners who are into photography - they'll be able to get some amazing shots. The walkway is in good condition and the walk isn't too long, so it's nice for the whole family too.

Perched on a gentle slope at the bottom of Norman's Hill Road in Onehunga, there's something almost…read moreeerie about this park but in a good way. You can sit here and look out at the Manukau Harbour and imagine it as it once was when the suburb was first settled. The view has changed a bit but the sense of peace here has not. It's just a tiny little patch of green but one of those places where if you just stop the car and hop out and sit for 10 minutes, you'll carry on through the rest of your day feeling refreshed. Maybe it's the briny scent on the air or maybe it's my childhood memories but this little reserve, more than most, just does it for me.

Madills Farm is one of several reserves amongst the evergreen Eastern Suburbs…read more Madills Farm is a versatile reserve, popular with dog walkers, runners and cyclists (mainly of younger age groups) alike. It is also the home ground of Eastern Suburbs Football Club meaning goals are readily available for the next Ronaldo to practise and during summer, cricket pitches are laid for the next Richard Hadlee. The tracks circling the park provide an ideal route for runners, allowing a break for the bustling Auckland Waterfront along Tamaki Drive. There is a playground at the Allum St end for chidren and parking on the street around the majority of the periphery of Madills Farm.

Musick Point for me is one of Auckland's far flung secrets. Ok maybe it's just far flung for me…read more Anyway, it's a beautiful green reserve set on the headland at Bucklands Beach. The views are of course stunning, but for me what makes this place special is the Musick Memorial Radio Station building. It is classic Art Deco (even if the Radio Group who look after it call it Modern; semantics, it's both) and sits facing loftily out to sea. In my amateur opinion I reckon it's a particularly good example of the style due to its referencing of an aeroplane - the Art Deco movement was all about embracing the new industrial age, particularly those newfangled machines that were allowing people to travel more easily than they ever had before. I am going to get myself inside one of these days and have a proper explore of the old original radio station. Come for a wander and research this pretty spot's interesting history for yourself.

No, there aren't any mermaids sitting on rocks playing harps, nor is this where bands perform live…read more(though it may be a breath taking spot for a music video during dusk or dawn). No magical elements, but simply a lovely spot to look out onto the ocean and take in the spectacular cliff faces. You can drive right up to the tip where there's this large white building where they run a radio station (there you are, music!) and a great view past the large trees. There are some good picnic spots and large grassy areas to walk your dog on a summer's day. Musick Point doesn't have much else but nature and you, so make the most of it. Make it truly musical with an epic soundtrack on your iPod as you take a breather from life's worries.

After having worked near this beast of a mountain for over a year , And after a talk with Alex D…read moreabout what things u you should do in this super city of ours , I was prompted to check out Mt Wellington . Maungarei / Mount Wellington was used as a pā, and its flanks, particularly on the eastern side, are covered in food storage pits and terraced house sites. That wee fact above pasted from Wiki was just as amazing to me , I had no idea it was a pā site . I'm guessing you need to be a athlete of sorts to run up it as I've seen many do , however that was a non option for me today , I will try to tackle that in the future though . With views for as far as you can see !! And a great place for a picnic . If you have visitors from overseas bring them here ! Way less crowds than Mt Eden and One Tree Hill .

Mount Wellington is the most sinister of the "mountains" around Auckland (cynical South Islanders,…read morechuckle now). If it wasn't the model for Maurice Gee's terrifying Under the Mountain, it should have been. I shudder just to look at it. If you like, you can drive up it. Or, if you're a sadist, run up it. At the top is a rest stop with room for approximately 1.5 cars, overlooking Panmure (not the most visually spectacular of the Auckland suburbs), and on the other side, the old quarry, which now has a pretentious name because they are infilling it with ticky-tacky houses that all look the same as the others (which I've heard is a real challenge when you come home slightly tipsy - lots of knocking on the neighbours' doors and apologies ensue).

Beautiful views from the Michael Joseph Savage Memorial Park at Bastion Point…read more Take the Explorer Bus to stop #8 and enjoy the park. The bus comes about every 30 minutes. The memorial has a sunken reflecting pool, a huge obelisk and the most beautiful surrounding garden. Climb up and down the steps to get a better view. Walk through the park to get a better view overlooking the harbor. What a difference a day makes. Monday was blue skies and so sunny as compared to the intermittent thunderstorms and overcast skies the day before. A nice way to enjoy a beautiful summer afternoon in Auckland.

Michael Savage is a popular destination for tourists and locals alike in central Auckland. From…read morehere you have spectacular views of Auckland city; I've seen several sunsets here and I'm never tired of them. You're also able to visit the memorial of the park's namesake, Michael Joseph Savage, who founded the Welfare State and was the first Labour Prime Minister of New Zealand. The monument is such a great piece of New Zealand history and is surrounded by a pond and beautiful gardens you can walk through. The parking spaces fill up quickly here but there's more than enough room for everyone, whether you're exercising, having a picnic or going for a leisurely stroll. The rolling grass areas are huge and give you a great view no matter where you are. If you aren't travelling by car, there's pedestrian access on the west end of Mission Bay. If you forget to bring dessert with you, there's almost always an ice cream truck there in the afternoon. My partner and I make frequent visits here usually after lunch dates on Tamaki Drive, as its a great place to digest, chill out and appreciate this great piece of our city. Wedding parties are also a common sight and its no surprise considering the beautiful backdrop the memorial offers. You're sure to see tourists by the busload every hour here, viewing the scenery and taking snaps galore. Its nice to know that visitors get to see this place, as it really is an Auckland marvel through and through.